The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1887-02-02

bOOpIOSO YOU NI1lO w MID. SOlC, NlN w
can talk the matter over this evening""
"But Joseph" interposcd Mrs. Gill
blrd, anxiously, ssyou do not think she
is going to be illp''
"Certainly not,' answered her hus-
band i'll his smooth, precise tone. stonly
am ~ great believer III the old adugc,
Prevention is better than cure and
with q child Of IGthcl's caliber one can
not be too ygilant and careful. Now,
my dear, we will havo tho children
down; for must 20 III ten minutes.
will try to sec Sinclair later on to discuss
our plans; in the mean time let there bo
u truce to all lessons to-day; and could
you not invite tho little 1Iowlands over,
and let them all have u good romp to-
gether i'll tho nursery? 1t would do
Ethel good"
x
"Wellp" said Miss Burton, in answer
to the upliftcd hand.
''Please, teacher, Tommy Cartcr's
asleep"
Brought thus plainly under her notice,
the teacher was compelled to see what
she did not wish to observe at tho mo-
ment.'
"Tommy Carter, come hcrcl" And
at the sound Of his name the boy sat up
and rubbed his eyes. "Wly, Tommyl
what is the meaning Of this?'' said Miss
Burton In q kind voicef for the boy was
one Of her brightest pupils, and SHE
knew something about his home life.
He was Il tall boy for his age, little
under I, all the children in Miss Bur-
toms room were under with face
that might have been any fathers
pride; such a handsome, open counte-
nance, in spite Of it's grimnoss and the
thick locks Of matted, unkempt hair
which fell ovc" his brow.
"Plcase, teacher, didn't mean to go
TO sleep, bit "or SO tircd!"
SLOW is that?n
81 didn't 80 to bed till long past y
last night, and father he woke me at s
to light the fire, 'cos mother couldn' get
up, 'cos she 'ant we'll"
''Wlat kept you up SO latc?"
81 had to mind the baby"
"Wherc was your mother?"
please, teacher, mother went to the
Dolphin to fetch father, and they didn't
conc out till they WAS turned out, and
then father and mother lad u row, and
he knocked her spinning, and she's bad
to-day. she is.
"And was there nobody to look after
Tic baby but you?N
mo, 'cos The lady what lives in the
next room she's gone away, and the
baby cried so us | took it and sat on the
doorstep till mother come in, and then
it didn't stop. Father said he'd chuck
it out Of the window IL mother didn't
quiet It's row."
fact tone. Why not2 He was used to
IiQ Iii fn. c,1nl, Of 1n t1&y
renee, and if the previous nights expe-
riences had been Il trino worse than
usual, there was one comfort to be
derived from thom-hiS mother was too
ilNto vet dhuni, tbat dayHt l1a&t.
Oh may 10 your plnce, $iiJtHN
teacher quietly. y Ali yohW 70 glfc
out iilc cNnns auiIG plake ~hat arc
Aln c.yMG n}Y2n
l'lid iittir girl addressed Nouchsaia1
no reply Dut ;s'lcrn little hn@tntiot ltt
clUld WHO occupied tile next seat Y0lItli-
CeeIed Iile information that Anne
Blake felt sick.
Miss Burton called the little girl to
her side. "What is the matter, Annie;
have you had anything to disagree with
you2'
The child shook her head She was
very clean and tidily dressed, though in
wofully-patchcd garments.
"What did you have for breakfast?"
"Nothing, teacher,' said the little
girl, looking up with timid eyes.
"Mother couldn't give lis any this
morning, because all the bread was
gone"
SIS your father out Of work?n
cs, teacher, he's got q bad foot.n
Miss Burton led the child into the
head mistress room and gave her a roll
out Of the bag that contained her own
lunch. "Sit down and cat that, and if
can manage it will go round and see
your mother after school.''
The teachers heart achcd as she re-
turned to the school-room. 1t was hor-
rible to think Of child, little more
than a baby, sent breallfastless to
school.
She knew we'll the extreme restitution
thcro was among many Of tho children,
for the school was situated in Il very
poor neighborlhood. She did what little
she could do to relieve the most pressing
cases IN hcr own room, but it was only
q drop Of kindness in an ocean Of dis
trcss. Many IL parcel Of old clothes and
boots she collected among her friends
and distributed to tho children, but
there were some to whom it was worse
than useless to givc-the children of
idle, derraycd parents, who would strip
every tidy article Of apparel off their
own and their children's backs and |
pawn them for q few pence, to obtain
more than deccncy or natural affection |
to thcm---drinll.
The teacher did her best even in these
cases. snow. Mary.n she would saw.